


Start to Make It Better

by Limpet666



Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Musical inclinations, amicably divorced Martin, pure fluff, unlikely friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 22:42:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11091438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limpet666/pseuds/Limpet666
Summary: That Dr. Stein could occasionally be heard singing in the labs was everyone’s favourite worst-kept secret.





	Start to Make It Better

That Dr. Stein could occasionally be heard singing in the labs was everyone’s favourite worst-kept secret. It was only ever when he thought he was completely alone, and even then only when he was so lost in his work that he didn’t realise he was doing it.

But despite both Barry (with his super-speedy accidental eavesdropping) and Cisco’s (not so accidental security footage and one-time vibing) insistence, Martin would out right deny any knowledge of it.

“I do not  _ sing _ .”

And that was the end of the subject as far as Martin was concerned, evidenced by the fact that he completely ignored both of the young men’s protests-

“We heard you!”

\- and continued his calculations like they were mere background noise.

(The recorded footage  _ mysteriously _ disappeared before Cisco could follow through on his threat to show everyone, and Caitlin took his full week of pouting with fond cajoling. It was preferable to the strain that recording could have put on the group’s already somewhat tense dynamic.)

Dr. Stein had become somewhat of a permanent placement at Star Labs after his marriage had dissolved. It had been amicable, apparently, but no less devastating for being so understandable; Clarissa had spent a year assuming her husband was dead, had grieved, comes to terms, and then finally began to move on. So to have him back so suddenly, but under such complex circumstances, had proven too much for their relationship to survive. 

But as his marriage failed, Martin found an unlikely friend in Joe West. Joe had stepped in even before any of the others had noticed there was something wrong. Whether it was by training or natural empathy, Joe had seemed to sense the grief that Martin was trying to keep under wraps, and had gone to him one evening (long after the younger members of the team had called it a day) with a hot coffee and willing ear.

And even when Martin had insisted there was nothing wrong, that he didn’t need anyone sticking their nose in his business  _ thank you very much _ , something about Joe’s soft understanding and easy smile eased his mind. So much so that before the coffee had cooled he found himself spilling his anxieties to the man. A man he barely knew and yet radiated warmth and trust like they were old friends.

That the rest of the lab were surprised to find out about the overnight friendship would be an understatement. It also meant that they had to watch their words if Joe was around, since he was now apt to scold them for complaining about Martin too often.

So it was only a matter of time before Joe found out about Martin’s little musical inclination.

It was late, again, and Barry and the others, devoid of any new cataclysms to battle, had gone on a well-earned night out. Joe had heard tell of a karaoke bar, and Cisco looked absolutely delighted at the chance to finally hear Barry sing (Caitlin apologised profusely for ever letting that slip.)

But Joe knew Martin well enough to know there wasn’t a chance on any Earth that he could be persuaded to accompany them. No, the scientist would no doubt spend his evening down in the labs, working on something that Joe couldn’t even begin to understand, until it was time to retire to his rooms.

And Joe wasn’t about to let him spend the evening alone when everyone else was out enjoying themselves.

There was always a gentle hum about StarLabs. No one else seemed to notice it, but Joe felt it every time he stepped inside the building. It was like the knowledge contained within the building gave off its own vibrations and tried to sink into everything it touched. If Joe could compare it to anything, it was like the silent visceral tension at a sports match when the final, tie-breaking shot was taken. Like a breath held in anticipation. 

But this time it was a different hum he encountered as he made his way down to the science labs, coffees in one hand, and a flat box in the other.

A  _ musical _ hum.

It wasn’t quite singing, just the barest hint of words in the tune, but it drew Joe to a standstill just out of eyeshot, lest Martin notice him and stop. The scientist didn’t sound  _ happy _ , per se, but he sounded relaxed, and that was something Joe was loathe to interrupt.

At least until he’d figured out just what Martin was humming anyway.

“ _ Hey Jude…” _ The soft murmur dissolved into humming again as the scientist moved across the lab, and after a few more seconds Joe couldn’t stay out any longer.

“ _ Remember to let her into you heart-”  _ Joe didn’t have a bad voice, so he had been told, so announcing his presence with a song wasn’t something he was a stranger to.

Martin would probably have rather he did anything but, however, as he let out a yelp of shock and recoiled into a table of implements that went crashing to ground in a cacophony of distinctly un-melodic noise.

“Detective West!”

“Oh my-- Martin, I’m so sorry,” Joe was trying not to laugh as he unloaded his coffee and box onto the nearest surface and went over to help. “Are you okay?”

He certainly hadn’t meant to shock the scientist to quite that extent, but Joe would admit that the bright shade of pink Martin had turned was adorable.

“Q-quite alright, detective,” Martin replied brusquely, hurriedly picking up the tools, not quite able to look Joe in the eye when the detective helped assemble the last of them.

“I assumed I was alone tonight,” Martin continued as he straightened and placed the tray back on the table it had been knocked from.

“Just... _ how _ long were you there, may I ask?” 

‘ _ Not long enough,’ _ Martin thought.

“I just got here,” he said instead, “and I brought coffee. And pizza.”

That seemed to be enough to immediately forgive Joe of any sins, because the look of abject joy on Martin’s face at the mention of both of those things was delightful. So much so Joe felt his own face breaking into a pleased grin. 

“Come on, take a break,” Joe insisted, grabbing two chairs and rolling them up to the desk where he had placed the pizza and coffee.

“Not… not that I’m not appreciative, Detective-”

“Joe.”

“- _ Joseph,  _ but surely you have better things to do than sequester yourself down here of an evening?”

After settling into his chair Joe took a long drink of his coffee and regarded Martin with a skeptical look as the scientist continued.

“I know for a fact Mr. Allen and his entourage are spending a night on the town. Surely you would find their company more scintillating?” 

Despite his words, Martin still took a seat down next to Joe, wrapping his hands around the cardboard coffee cup and breathing a sigh of pleasure. Joe could swear he could see the tension melting off the other man.

“I could ask you the same thing?” Joe countered, setting his coffee down and reaching to open the pizza box.

Martin let out a huff of amusement, “I don’t think their youthful brand of entertainment is  _ quite _ my speed, I’m afraid.” 

Joe wouldn’t break it to him that the eager way the scientist reached for the pizza was  _ very _ similar to the way a certain speedster would lunge towards his own food.

“You never know,” Joe countered with a grin at Martin’s skeptical look, “I heard they were taking to a karaoke bar tonight.”

There was that blush again, telling that Martin knew  _ exactly _ what he was getting at, but Joe decided not  to push it further lest it become a sore point, and instead changed the subject. He asked what Martin was working on, and suddenly the time was filled with Martin explaining in great detail (that went straight over Joe’s head) all of his theories and calculations. 

So they ate, and drank coffee, and Martin talked and talked, and Joe enjoyed every moment watching the scientist speak animatedly about his work.

Just a few months before, Martin’s pain and grief had weighed so heavy it had been hard to get even two words from him, so Joe basked now in every free-spoken word the man spoke.

Eventually the science ended though, and the pizza was long gone, and they were both starting to stifle yawns at the lateness. But before he went, Joe had to ask.

“So…  _ Hey Jude _ ?”

The embarrassed groan that Martin let out was answer enough, and Joe laughed before adding-

“It’s actually one of my favourite songs,” he admitted, meeting Martin’s surprised look with a bright smile.

“I thought you’d be too young for that?” Martin queried with embarrassed amusement, and Joe laughed again, knocking his leg against Martin’s cajolingly.

“I’m not  _ that _ young,” he reminded the other man, before continuing quickly, “I used to sing it to Iris when she was little.”

“She was a very lucky little girl, then,” the answer came sincerely, then faltered when Martin realised the complement he had levied without forethought.

Joe was sure his grin was incorrigible, and Martin almost immediately began to protest in embarrassment.

“Joseph, I didn’t mean-”

“Didn’t mean what?”

“I-I…”

Joe would be lying if he said he didn’t find Martin attractive. It was also something Iris would call him out on if he tried to deny because she had had his ‘crush’ pinned before even he’d realised. She had also been the one to reassure him that Martin had definitely sent more than a few lingering looks his way.

But Joe was a respectful man, and had no desire to overstep his boundaries whilst Martin dealt with the dissolution of his marriage. 

He also valued Martin as a friend and if that was all Martin ultimately wanted, that was more than enough for him.

But some teasing was allowed, of course. Especially amongst friends.

“I can sing it, if you want?” Joe asked insistently, grinning and half turning in his seat.

“No, that wasn’t what-” Martin was protesting, but the half-smile on his face spoke otherwise.

“ _ Hey Jude-” _

“No, Joseph, really-”

“ _ Don’t make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better.”  _

Joe wasn’t shy about singing, and stood up from his chair as he continue, aware that Martin’s expression was helpless but fond. And he had stopped protesting.

“ _ Remember, to let her into your heart. Then you can start- to make it better.” _

Joe didn’t know what he expected when he held his hands down to Martin, only that it was almost automatic, in the same way he held out it hands to his daughter, his adoptive son, his few lovers, whenever he sang.

And if he was surprised when Martin took his hands with an obliging expression, he tried to hide it.

The scientist let Joe pull him to his feet, then allowed him to keep hold of his hands as he sang with a smile.

“ _ Hey Jude, don’t be afraid, you were made to go out and get her.” _

Martin seemed to hesitate and fight with himself, breathing a helpless laugh to the ceiling before Joe’s enthusiasm ultimately ended up being too contagious and he joined in, albeit quietly.

“ _T_ _ he minute, you let her under your skin, then you begin- to make it better.” _

They both laughed at the silliness of it, and then Joe couldn’t help but cajole.

“So you  _ do _ sing,” he insisted, then laughed again when Martin tried to pull away with embarrassment, holding his hands and pulling him back closer. If he was surprised Martin let him he didn’t say anything.

“I would request that you don’t tell anyone about this lapse of judgement,” Martin requested, the mask of seriousness slipping back down, but Joe wasn’t about to let that ruin the moment.

“I supposed I could,” he agree, testing his boundaries and leaning in closer in a movement that could be interpreted as just teasing if Martin wanted.

The way that Martin looked at him was of wide-eyed uncertainty, but he didn’t move away, even with Joe scarce inches away.

“Could?”

“Mmhmm,” Joe agreed, “If… you agreed to… I don’t know, go for dinner with me?”

Martin’s eyebrows hit his hairline, and Joe would have laughed if he hadn’t been so focussed on maintaining his cool. He was sure they could recapture their friendship if he was reading the signals wrong, they were both adults, after all. But in his heart he felt like a nervous teenager again, and it was nerve-wracking for all its ridiculousness.

He was aware that he and Martin couldn’t be more different. Joe West wasn’t a man prone to self-consciousness, but even still, he couldn’t help be a little worried that the intelligent, accomplished man before him was out of his league.

(If he knew that Dr. Stein thought the exact same thing of him then maybe his worries would have been eased.)

“I… supposed that would be… agreeable,” Martin said after a deliberate silence, clearing his throat as though that could disguise his heated cheeks.

But Joe’s bright, delighted smile was contagious, and the way he fingers squeezed Martin’s hand confirmed his joy.

For a moment Joe began to pull back, pleased enough with the outcome, then he stalled and seemed to think better of it. 

Before Martin could ask what was wrong, Joe moved back, stepping close and leaning in. He waited, giving the scientist time to pull back, but when he was met with only stillness he closed the gap.

The kiss was soft and brief, just a lingering press of intent before Joe stepped back and observed the stunned expression on Martin’s face with a pleased smile.

Before he could recover his senses and speak, Joe used his hold on Martin’s hands to lift them to his mouth, pressing gentle kisses to the backs before letting them go and stepping back.

“So, tomorrow?” Joe asked, gathering up his jacket that he had removed earlier.

“Tomorrow?” Martin still seemed to be blinking the stars out from behind his glasses.

“At 7. Dinner?”

“Oh! Yes… yes,” Martin nodded, clearly making an effort to gather his resolve, and succeeding only in looking embarrassed at his distraction, “That sounds…”

“Agreeable?” Joe offered with a grin, and Martin laughed. It  _ did _ sound rather formal being put like that.

“Yes, just so.” He smiled, the expression only softening when Joe leaned in to press a brief kiss to his cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Joe finished buttoning his jacket, then checked his pockets to make sure he had everything before turning to leave. “Goodnight Dr. Stein.”

“Goodnight Joseph.”

And if both of them could be found humming  _ ‘Hey Jude’ _  the next day, well, that was hardly surprising.


End file.
